14 - Sunday, July 19, 1992 — North Shore News Crenna FASHION STATEMENTS SKIMPY. IS out in swimwear. Just when you thought there was nothing left for bathing suits to do but bare all, designers have decided that the itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny styles are passe. They have stopped cutting back on all but the barest essentials and are getting a little more generous with their fabric. Influenced by the °40s movie starlets and the 90s sun scare, maillots (one-piece bathing suits) and bikinis get wider straps, higher necklies and armholes, and lower-cut this hs. Maillots are the hottest news of the summer. . They steal the ‘sunny -Spotlight from bikinis in most swimwear collections.: The bikinis that are attracting attention, however, are beginning to look more like one- pieces. The collections. may give maximum coverage but that does not point to dowdy. A look at the scason’s best ‘of both styles reveals that it is not as _™much about baring as it is about showing it off. Both one-. and two-piece suits are inspired by retro glamor. Maillots are popular in sheath styles, which are similar to a sheath dress from the shoulders to the hips. Fully cut shapes have sweetheart mnecklines, wide-band halter straps, shirred and gathered bustlines and hips. Strapless bustier mailiots have : structured cups and seam down the front. Pin-up girl style is also shown in the torso which creeps down the. thigh and is even . Squared-off across the leg. Some- times the extended leg holes get an extra layer cf fabric which is wrapped at the hips and criss- crossed at the front torso. Two-piece suits have bathing beauty style brassiere shapes. Halter styles with wide straps curve elegantly around the shoulder to‘ the back of the meck. There are twisted bandeau tops and those with a butterfly cut in front, which is a “V"* cut be- tween the cups. Tops are extended a couple of inches below the bust and bottoms are higher cut on the waist, covering the beliy button.- Bikinis get pretty details like frilled cups, bowed sides. Bottoms also get ’ frills at the hips and little sarong skirts that reach to the upper thigh. Sports play a major role in swimwear, too. Play beach volleyball, go for a run along the shoreline, cycle along the seawalk, you can do just about anything in a swimsuit now. Maillots and bikinis steal -their shapes from tank tops, cropped teps, muscle T’s, racer-backed tops and bodysuits. The newest look in one-piece suits is the cropped, unitard or bikertard whichis cut in slinky swimwear fabric. Bikini tops are shaped like sport bras with elasticized support acress the bust. And foam pad- in more covered. and knotted and. ding along the bottom of the cups or underwires holds on with ail it’s got. With the details such as wider straps, moulded cups and lower-cut legs, you’ll have enough fabric to give you support dnd re- tain your self-respect while you're exercising. Fabrics and details also follow the two trends towards sports and the silver screen. Crushed velvet, sequins, gold piping along the seams, metallic lurex and scrolling give a glamorous evening appeal. Lacy lingerie details add sex appeal, while pretty, eyelet cotton frills and Brigitte Bardot-style red and white gingham checks provide a little retro innocence. Water- color florals and’ artist-inspired splashy prints also color stariet- influenced swim suits. Racy color blocking and spor- tive stripes mark the sports bathing suits. Bold, bright color Summer swimwear NEW SWIMWEAR Is desi ned for getting wet. mixes, accented by black or white, are popuiar, as well as graphic patterns in black and white or St. Tropez blue and white. Great new fabrics such as ac- tivewear-influenced ribbed cotton, viny! and mesh insets, offer new texture. Though swimwear is designed for-getting wet this season, it is the fabric that will‘detérmine how much swimming you can do. Some fabrics are intended for chlorine and salt water and will stand up to a vigorous workout. Make sure to choose a well- known quality label if.this is the type of suit you are looking for. Other suits that are great for beach wear do not have reinforced construction or durable fabrics designed for water use. They are appropriate for beach sports, sunbathing and occasional leisure swimming only. Check the lining carefully to see . if there is adequate coverage and . - check if the fabric, especially if it - is a light color or white, becomes see-through when wet. One of the key factors in the . popularity of a bathing snit style is its fit. Swimwear manufacturers | are becoming increasingly aware of the dilemma of finding the proper © fit and are giving it new attention. Companies are offering specific size charts, tummy control panels and styles which ‘‘spot treat’’ cer- tain areas such as decreasing the waist or increasing the look of the bust to flatter the proportion of the figure. They provide different group- ings in the same styles available in misses sizes, fuller-bust sizes, a longer torso and extra-large sizes. Since swimwear still focuses on the bust, the fit has improved dramatically. Foam cups shape HA DN OLY MeN FAREZES SUatING CHE THE JANTZEN aiving gin from 1929 to 1980. Evolution of Jantzen IN A recent Womens Wear Daily (a New York trade publication) article, Jantzen, the well-known swimwear label, was featured. Jantzen Inc., which is owned and manufactured by firms in both Vancouver and Portland, has © seen a lot of changes since it was first introduced in 1910." The company, which has suf- fered lower sales in the last couple of years because. the styles didn’t create enough excitement, has revamped many of its lines and restructured its marketing. A new design and merchandis- ing team has been hired to focus - on four major groupings: Jantzen, which includes suits with minimal construction’ for women in their mid 30s; : : Jantzen Classics, which are heavi- ly gonstructed for women ages 45 to 55; Coastal Zone by Jantzen, featur- ing contemporary cuts for.ages 25 to 35; Electric Beach (formerly Jantzen Junior), which‘now has racier-cut suits in Supplex nylon and ribbed- nylon for those aged 18 to 25. American vice-president and generai manager Bod Klein states that the Jantzen products are now selling in stores at twice the rate they were last year. One has to wonder what the next Jantzen ‘‘diving girl’? logo, synonymous with the label, will look like when sedesigned for the - Carol Crenna and- support the bust, push-up pads are added to the bottom of | the cups, and strategic piacement of straps support and emphasize even what you don’t have. Suits with bra-cup sizes, similar to undergarments, are also’ avail- able by some labels. When choosing a bathing suit, keep in mind how you will use it. This wil! also determine how ‘much support you will need. The amount of support needed will also depend upon your figure re- quirements. Will you need- extra — -control from cups or straps, or power stretch in the fabric? Te get the proper fit, try on a variety of styles, sizes and brands. The goal is to find a suit that looks great on you, feels comfort- able, and will hold up throughout your activities, but does not cost $10 a square inch (since there is little fabric used in swimsuits).